RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2002-03756

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code of 2C  be  changed  to  3K,  and  the
narrative reason for separation be changed from  “Personality  Disorder”  to
“Secretarial Authority.”

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She joined the Air Force for the wrong reasons and was  not  ready  for  the
responsibility of what lied ahead; however, she is now able  to  accept  the
challenges of military service.

The applicant states that she was young and immature when  she  entered  the
Air Force with her husband.  This was the first time she was away from  both
her home and husband,  and  she  was  not  prepared  for  the  changes  that
occurred.  She has been attending school and taking full responsibility  for
the  maintenance  of  the  house  while  her  husband  was  deployed.    The
culmination of these events have enabled her to become  self-sufficient  and
given her the ability to deal with a variety of situations.

In support of the appeal, the applicant submits her  personal  statement,  a
statement from  a  civilian  physician,  and  extracts  from  her  personnel
records.

Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 29 March 2000, the applicant enlisted in the  Regular  Air  Force  for  a
period of six years.





She was seen at the Behavioral Analysis  Service  on  10 and 12 April  2000,
due  to  being  overwhelmed  with  anxiety.   She  was  diagnosed  with   an
adjustment  disorder,  with  anxious  mood,  relating  to  maladjustment  to
military service, and her administrative separation was recommended.

On 20 April 2000, the commander notified her that  administrative  discharge
action was being initiated against her for conditions  that  interfere  with
military  service,  specifically,  a  mental  disorder.   She   acknowledged
receipt and waived her right to counsel and  to  submit  statements  in  her
behalf.

The discharge authority approved the discharge on 25 April 2000.

On 26 April 2000, she received  an  uncharacterized  entry-level  separation
under the provisions of AFI 36-3208 (Personality Disorder), and  was  issued
RE code 2C (Involuntarily separated with an entry level  separation  without
characterization of service).  She completed  28  days  of  active  service,
with 1 month and 19 days of prior inactive service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS:

The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  recommends  the  narrative  reason  for  the
applicant’s separation be changed to “Secretarial Authority” and  recommends
denial of her request to change her RE code.  The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant
states, in part, that the applicant developed debilitating anxiety while  in
Basic Military Training (BMT) and was diagnosed with an adjustment  disorder
with  anxious  mood.   Since  she  was  not  diagnosed  with  a  personality
disorder, it is inaccurate to  list  the  narrative  reason  as  personality
disorder, even though administratively correct.   Although  the  action  and
disposition in this case are  proper  and  equitable  reflecting  compliance
with Air Force directives that implement the law, a change to the  narrative
reason for discharge to “Secretarial  Authority”  is  recommended;  however,
the RE code should not be changed.

The BCMR Medical Consultant’s evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPRS concurs with the BCMR Medical  Consultant’s  recommendation  that
the separation code and narrative reason for the applicant’s  separation  be
changed to “KFF”  and  “Secretarial  Authority,”  respectively.   AFPC/DPPRS
states, in part, that based on the documentation in the file, the  discharge
was consistent with the  procedural  and  substantive  requirements  of  the
discharge regulation.  Additionally, the  discharge  was  within  the  sound
discretion  of  the  discharge  authority.   Airmen  are  given  entry-level
separation/uncharacterized  service  characterization  when  separation   is
initiated in the first 180 days continuous active service.   Therefore,  her
characterization of service is correct.

The AFPC/DPPRS evaluation is at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DPPAE states, in part, that the applicant  served  28  days  of  active
service and was correctly issued RE code 2C, “Involuntarily  separated  with
an honorable discharge; or entry level separation  without  characterization
of service.”

The AFPC/DPPAE evaluation is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS:

Complete  copies  of  the  Air  Force  evaluations  were  forwarded  to  the
applicant on  25  April  2003  for  review  and  response  within  30  days.
However, as of this date, this office has received no response.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or
regulations.

2.  The application was timely filed.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence  has  been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable error or injustice to warrant changing  the  narrative
reason for the applicant’s separation.  In this respect, we  note  that  the
current AFI regulating separations  for  mental  health  problems  does  not
allow coding for other than “Personality Disorder,”  an  entirely  different
DSM-IV code sequence from that with which the applicant was  diagnosed.   As
such, we believe it is  not  proper  to  apply  an  erroneous  label  to  an
individual because of a recognized administrative shortfall.   In  order  to
correct the injustice of improperly labeling the applicant’s  disorder,  the
Medical Consultant recommends that her reason for discharge  be  changed  to
“Secretarial Authority” and the Separation  Program  Designator  (SPD)  code
changed to “KFF.”   We  agree.   Therefore,  we  recommend  her  records  be
corrected to the extent indicated below.

4.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of error or injustice concerning the  applicant’s  RE  code.   The
applicant has provided no evidence showing that her assigned RE code  is  in
error or contrary to the prevailing  instruction.   It  is  clear  that  the
decision to separate the applicant was proper based on her situation at  the
time.  The RE  code  which  was  issued  at  the  time  of  the  applicant’s
discharge accurately reflects the circumstances  of  her  separation,  i.e.,
involuntarily   separated   with   an   entry-level    separation    without
characterization of service.  Accordingly, we do not find this  code  to  be
in error or unjust.  We therefore conclude that no basis exists  upon  which
to recommend favorable action on her request that it be changed.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 26 April  2000,  she  received  an
uncharacterized entry level separation under the provisions of AFI  36-3208,
paragraph 1.2 (Secretarial Authority), with a Separation Program  Designator
(SPD) code of “KFF.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2002-03756
in Executive Session on 5 June 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                       Mr. Robert S. Boyd, Panel Chair
                       Ms. Kathleen F. Graham, Member
                       Mr. James A. Wolffe, Member

All members voted to correct the records,  as  recommended.   The  following
documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 Nov 02, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 13 Feb 03.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 6 Mar 03.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 15 Apr 03.
    Exhibit F.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 Apr 03.




                                   ROBERT S. BOYD
                                   Panel Chair
AFBCMR BC-2002-03756




MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force
Board for Correction of Military Records and under the authority of Section
1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A Stat 116), it is directed that:

      The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that on 26 April 2000, she
received an uncharacterized entry level separation under the provisions of
AFI 36-3208, paragraph 1.2 (Secretarial Authority), with a Separation
Program Designator (SPD) code of “KFF.”








JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency